


One Night

by Riddlebird-puff (hobbitpuff)



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bittersweet Ending, Blonde Oswald, Hand Jobs, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, One Night Stand, Sexual Repression, nicewald
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-14 05:09:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16486499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbitpuff/pseuds/Riddlebird-puff
Summary: What if Oswald had gone to Jim when Ed turned him away?A Nicewald AU.





	One Night

**Author's Note:**

> It seems I'm not quite done with Gobblepot yet - or they aren't quite done with me. 
> 
> This fic takes place in an alternative to S2 if Nicewald had turned to Jim after being rejected by Ed. But with my own take.
> 
> Oswald is pretty ooc in this fic because of Strange's conditioning but there is also some hint that his mother is also a factor of his internal homophobic ideas and sexual repression. (Although this is not explicitly stated!)

James flipped through the file report one more time, he knew it by heart, but he was hoping something, anything, would jump out at him. They were missing something, he was missing something, he knew it. Nygma was hiding something from them. Everybody grieved in their own way, no one knew this more than Jim, but there was something about Ed that had been off since Kristen’s disappearance. There was something about Nygma that he just did not like. He sighed. Maybe he was letting his feelings influence the investigation like Lee had accused him of before she had left him.

 

He rubbed at his eyes, it was getting late and he was starting to see double. The doorbell rang. He looked down at his watch, it was ten thirty-two at night, who would be at the door this time of night without calling first, he thought. He went to the door expecting the worst and opened it. 

 

On the other side was a slightly built blonde male that he did not recognize but thought looked familiar, oddly the man’s clothing seemed to be covered in white feathers. Then the stranger smiled, “Jim, old friend, lucky I am that you are home.” 

 

“Cobblepot? What are you doing here? You didn't break out of Arkham, did you?” Jim looked behind Oswald for more trouble. 

 

“They released me,” Oswald smiled and nodded. 

 

“They let you out?” he repeated unbelievably. “You were declared insane, Penguin. They don't just release prisoners.”

 

“I have a certificate of sanity, Dr Strange himself declared me healed of all insanity,” Oswald pulled out a piece of paper and held it up for Jim to read. “See? I am as sane now as you.” 

 

James wondered if he had fallen asleep and was dreaming. 

 

“If what you state is true, then I'm happy for you, but what are you doing here at my doorstep in the middle of the night?” And he would definitely check the truth of his declaration as soon as possible. 

 

“I had… nowhere else to turn,” Oswald put the paper back. “And I remembered, you owe me a favor James.” 

 

“Why don't you go to Nygma?” he sighed. “The last time I saw you two together you were awfully chummy.” And he still hadn't figured out how the Medical Examiner assistant had become friends with the known gangster. Unfortunately, being ‘friends’ with a criminal was not illegal. 

 

“Edward shut the door in my face,” Oswald’s smile faltered. “Edward still walks in the darkness, I'm afraid. He will not face the light.” 

 

“What, did you two break up or something?” Jim chuckled. 

 

“We were… never like  _ that,”  _ Oswald stammered, his face turning red. “Homosexuality is  _ wrong,  _ it is a  _ sin.  _ I would never- I don't even date.” 

 

“Well, I disagree with you on that, I cannot say I'm sorry to hear you have broken ties with Nygma,” Jim said. “Nygma is bad news. And if you know anything about the disappearance of Kristen Kringle-.”

 

“Nothing! I know nothing about that,” Oswald interrupted. “Edward told me his girlfriend left him.” He coughed, and started to gag. “I'm sorry, I know nothing else.” 

 

He was lying, Jim sensed. Or at least, not telling the full truth. 

 

“I suppose you should come in,” he held the door open for Oswald. “Before someone spots you and decides to call the cops.” 

 

“Thank you, James,” Oswald grabbed his hand and pumped it up and down. “I always knew you were a  _ true  _ friend.” 

 

“You can stay on the couch tonight,” Jim sighed. “One night.”

 

“I promise to not take advantage of your hospitality,” he entered the apartment and looked around. “You have a nice place, it's cozy.” 

 

“It's a dump,” Jim started clearing the sofa of dirty clothes. “If I had known to expect company I would've cleaned up,” he spoke sarcastically. 

 

“You are a bachelor, James,” Oswald shrugged. “I would have expected nothing else.” He looked away as Jim picked up a pair of briefs. Oswald blushed, his skin seemed even more fair than usual with his blonde hair. “It is nicer than Arkham at any rate,” he attempted a laugh that fell short. 

 

“I… right,” he stuffed the clothes in a chair. “I can get you something to drink, I have beer or imported whiskey, what'll you have?” 

 

“I have given up alcohol,” Oswald followed him to the kitchen area. “Alcohol is a gateway to sin.” 

 

“Are you sure you're Oswald the Penguin Cobblepot and not his blonde clone?” he chuckled. “I can make coffee, unless you've got something against caffeine too.” He started the coffee maker. “What's with the blonde locks anyway?” 

 

“Arkham doesn't allow for hair dye,” he looked down. 

 

“You dye your hair?” Jim didn't know why he should be surprised by the revelation. He had just assumed the black hair was natural.

 

“I… started to dye it when Fish first gave me a job,” he looked up. “I suppose I admired her, she was glamorous in a way my mother had never been,” he sniffed. “I was embarrassed by my mother and resented my resemblance to her.” He smiled. “My mother had always wanted a girl.” 

 

Jim could see the resemblance between Oswald and the late Gertrud Kapelput now that he mentioned it. 

 

“I like it,” he picked a feather from Oswald’s hair. “It suits you.” Had Oswald’s lips always been so pink, he wondered. And he wondered if they would be as soft to kiss as they looked. “You know what they say, blondes have more fun.” He flicked the feather on Oswald’s nose. Oswald sneezed. “What’s up with the feathers, did you run afoul of fowl play, Cobblepot?”

 

“You could say that, I ran into Ms Galavan and Butch.” 

 

“You saw Tabitha Galavan..,” Jim stopped smiling. “Did you bury the bodies at a chicken farm?”

 

“They are alive, James,” he rolled his eyes. 

 

“I am supposed to believe you let the woman responsible for the death of your mother walk free? You've killed people for far less, Penguin.” What had he been thinking, he thought, he had almost been  _ flirting  _ with Cobblepot. 

 

“I am the Penguin no more,” he smiled. “Penguin would have made her pay for what she did,  _ Oswald _ has forgiven her.” 

 

James felt truly unnerved for the first time that night. “And the feathers?” 

 

“Ms Galavan grew bored of me when I refused to fight back,” he played with the hat in his hands. “She thought it would be fun to tar and feather me before letting me go. At least they did not strip me first,” he shrugged. 

 

Jim had to track down Tabitha Galavan before Oswald woke up from whatever this was. When Oswald was done with her it would make what happened to her brother look like a mercy killing. 

 

“Whatever Arkham did to you seems to be working,” he handed Oswald the first cup of coffee. 

 

“Yes, Dr Strange is a brilliant man of science,” Oswald nodded vigorously. “And I thank you, James, for leaving me in Arkham when I begged you to get me out. I am a new man now, and it's all thanks to you and Dr Strange.” 

 

James wanted to tell Oswald he was sorry for not believing him. “You're welcome,” he cleared his throat. “You can take a shower, I'll get you some clean clothes.” 

 

“You've always been so good to me, Jim,” Oswald smiled. “And I have done little to deserve it.” 

 

If Oswald’s game was to make him feel guilty, it was working. But Jim thought this was no game. He moved to the dresser and opened the drawer, he had a pair of old sweats and a t-shirt that should fit Oswald well enough. He handed the items to Oswald and pointed at the door to the bathroom. “Bathroom is through that door, towels are under the counter, use whatever you want.” 

 

“Thank you, Jim,” Oswald quickly kissed his cheek and dashed to the bathroom. 

 

James touched his cheek, what had that been about, he wondered. He heard the water turn on and tried not to think about Oswald being naked just a few feet from him behind a closed door. Oswald under the shower. Oswald rubbing his body clean with Jim’s washcloth. He pitched his nose, it was going to be a long night. 

 

He took out pajamas he had not worn since Leslie had left him and started to take off the rest of his suit. He was down to his undershirt and briefs when he heard the crash. He rushed to the door and knocked. “Oswald? Do you need help?” He waited and thought he heard a cry. He didn't want to invade Oswald’s privacy but he could be hurt. He turned the knob, it wasn't locked. “I'm coming in, Oswald.” He waited for.. something and then opened the door. 

 

James stood frozen at the sight before him. Oswald was on the floor facing the door, completely naked, his erect cock in his fist. His head was thrown back and he made another loud moan like the one that he had first heard. Jim must have made some kind of noise himself because Oswald’s eyes snapped opened and he yelled in surprise to see Jim standing in the open doorway. He put the towel over his erection. 

 

“This… isn't what it looks like,” Oswald stammered. 

 

Jim couldn't help himself, he laughed. Of all the awkward things that could happen between them- it had been a sight he wouldn't be forgetting of that he was sure. 

 

“I… you don't understand,” Oswald started to cry quietly. “Masturbation is  _ bad,  _ even more of a sin than sex. It is a perversion, only a pervert would touch himself-.” 

 

“Oswald- it's a natural instinct,” he knelt on the floor with Oswald. “It's nothing to be ashamed of.” 

 

“I can't… Strange's conditioning… I can't,” he begged. 

 

Jim had always found Oswald dangerously attractive, but in a way this Oswald was even more dangerous. This Oswald that may have been raised by Gertrud without Fish’s influence. An Oswald he might have met in another time, an Oswald he might've fallen in love with. 

 

“I can help you with that,” he reached to remove the towel from his lap. “If you would allow me.” 

 

“It is  _ wrong,  _ men should not touch each other in  _ that  _ way.” Oswald squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “It is a  _ sin.”  _

 

“Then let me be the one to sin, Oswald,” Jim whispered. “I will absolve you of carnal sin.” 

 

“I… yes, yes, please,” he nodded. “Please, Jim.” 

 

It was the  _ please, Jim  _ that nearly did James in. He removed the towel slowly to give Oswald time to change his mind and wrapped his fingers around his erection. He was actually going to do this, he was going to give Penguin a hand job on the floor of his bathroom. He hadn't done this for another in quite awhile and the angle was awkward but going by the sounds Oswald was making, he wasn't going to last long. 

 

He found himself wanting to kiss Oswald but that would have made this something it  _ wasn't.  _ He kissed him on the forehead instead. “That's it, Oswald. Give it to me. Let me take it.” Oswald shortly ejaculated with a cry and Jim held him as he cried. 

 

* * *

When Jim woke in his bed the next morning Oswald was already gone.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment if you like.


End file.
